


That One Time Korra Almost Dies

by Victqria



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Dealing with things together, F/F, Korrasami - Freeform, Trauma, basically just dipping my toes into the fandom, fluff basically, working through internal struggles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:21:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28255341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Victqria/pseuds/Victqria
Summary: Korra's first encounter with death and dealing with the aftermath.orKorra almost dies but doesn't want to leave her family.
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Comments: 3
Kudos: 91





	That One Time Korra Almost Dies

**Author's Note:**

> Heya!
> 
> First time posting in this fandom. I'm obsessed with korrasami though, so i hope this does them justice!
> 
> little backstory to this fic:
> 
> Asami and Korra have been married for years, they have two children; Hiroshi Jr. and Yasuko. I know, real generic, but I'm new, so I hope I get a pass. This is Korra's first encounter with death, and what it means to put her self at risk when she has a family. I might make this a two part series, but I wrote 6k words in 4 hours, so I'm a little burnt out. I tried to keep it as in-character as possible, but I'm not used to writing these wonderful characters yet, so I'm rusty!
> 
> Anyway, enjoy.

Korra wasn’t unfamiliar with the idea of death. 

She’d grown up knowing that her previous incarnation Avatar Aang had died and given her the spirit of The Avatar. She knew that if she died in the avatar state that she would end the cycle and ruin thousands of years worth of wisdom. She knew that when she died, the spirit of Rava would pass on to an earth born child and she would have to help guide them through their own self discovery.    
  
But she had killed her connection to her past lives without dying. She was all that was left in the long line of avatars before her. Her knowledge would have to be enough. The years of study and restless nights 𝙝𝙖𝙙 to be enough.    
  
She’d been close to death, too. Zhear had almost taken her life and made living hell for almost 4 years. Yet here she was, laying on the ground with many metal spikes in her chest and blood staining her clothes. She remembered the terrified screams of hundreds and moved with purpose. The bomb went off before she could bend it high in the sky. She’d been quick enough to bend a bubble of air around her and the device before it went off, but not quick enough to get herself to the ground.    
  
“𝙆𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙖!”    
  
The static in her ears made it hard to pinpoint who was talking. The pain wasn’t that bad, it was nothing if not a faint sting, but 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘴, the energy it took to keep her eyes open. She blinked back what felt like tears and attempted to suck in a gulp of air. This time it did hurt, and she let out a strained yelp as the realisation came to her. 

She could die. 

  
  
“Hey, hey, Korra-- 𝙝𝙚𝙮.” She felt two warm hands on her face and squinted. Oh, it was Asami. Wasn’t she pretty?    
  
“Hey yourself,” She managed in a faint voice, smiling despite the situation at hand. “What brings you over to this, 𝙖𝙝--”    
  
“You’re really going to try and flirt with me right now? Like this?”    
  
“Mm, I am nothing if not, 𝘩𝘩𝘩𝘩, ambitious.” This time she winced as several hands pulled her body onto something flat and hard. Everything went in a blur. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this tired, or even this drained. Her dad explained death as a peaceful sleep, a stark contrast to the way her uncle had painted the picture out for her. Death did feel peaceful, or at least the parts in between the sharp jolts of pain. The pain was sobering, a reward for saving hundreds of families. It was also… scary. Korra wasn’t scared of dying, but she was scared of leaving everyone behind.    
  
Asami and their two children. Mako and his daughter, Bolin… Even Tenzin and her extended family. She was only 33. Only 3 years older than Kuruk before he died. She wanted to stay and watch as her family grew, wake up with Asami on cold winter mornings, she wanted to be there for her mom, and her dad. She wanted to be there at their funerals, she wanted to send them off with love and kindness, not put them through the agony of losing a child. And 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙨, she didn’t want her own children to grow up without her. Asami was capable, but there was no denying how much it would hurt reaching each new milestone without Korra there to help celebrate.    
  
She felt the wind on her face and muffled voices around her, there was even an uncomfortable pressure wrapped around her chest and arms that made it hard to breathe.    
  
“You’re awake!”    
  
Korra let out a struggled whine as she tried to lift her arms. When she couldn’t, panic set in. Was she paralysed again? She tried again, only for a pair of hands to settle on her shoulders.    
  
“Honey, stop trying to move. We’ve bound your arms and upper body in pressure bandages. You really did a number on yourself. We can’t have you lose any more blood.” The voice was soothing, which was enough to lull Korra back into what she hoped was the best nap of her life. It turned out to be the worst, and shortest, because she was being fussed over again and lowered into something cold and wet.    
  
“𝙉𝙤!” She tried to shift away from what felt like the end.    
  
“Can you get in with her? I can’t have her moving around.”    
  
The discomfort was suddenly replaced with warmth, and Korra felt two arms elope around her. “It’s me. It’s Asami.” Oh, that made more sense. Korra stopped trying to move away and happily let her head fall limp against what she thought was Asami’s chest, but it was hard to tell. More warmth settled around her shoulders, and then the back of her head. This nap felt a lot better.    
  
  
***

  
  
“Is she out again?”    
  
Asami worried her lower lip between her teeth as she supported most of Korra’s weight in the water. She’d never seen Korra this badly wounded before. Sure, she’d been knocked out a couple dies, even bleed through several shirts and pants, but she’d never been so close to being gone that Asami would physically feel how lifeless Korra truly was.    
  
“Yes.” She said quietly, stroking her fingers through Korra’s hair. “I thought you weren’t meant to let them go to sleep? Isn’t that bad?”    
  
“We couldn’t risk her going into the avatar state. We monitored her every step of the way.” Jinora said sadly. “She could have hurt more than just the cycle, especially that disorientated.”    
  
Jinora had a point, but that didn’t stop Asami from worrying. “Now that she’s in the healing water she’ll be okay?”    
  
“I’m doing my best. I’m not as good as my mother, but I’m the best we’ve got right now.” Kya said, arms moving in soft, controlled circles as the water around them continued to glow.    
  
“Lin got most of the metal out but what if they punctured an artery? Or her heart?”    
  
“Asami, she’d be dead if they’d gotten an artery, and she’d be dead if they’d gotten her heart. She’s okay-- As okay as someone that’s just about been blown up can be.”    
  
Asami blew out a shaky breath and squeezed both eyes shut. Tenzin was kind enough to fly her own children back with him to Air Temple Island, but that didn’t ease any of the anxiety she felt growing inside her chest. What was she going to tell them if Korra didn’t make it? Mom’s dead? She’d lost her own mother when she was young, but not young enough to forget the pain it caused throughout her life. They knew that this was a possibility when they’d agreed to start a family, but she never thought that Korra would ever actually put herself at risk like this. Sure, she’d saved hundreds, maybe thousands of people, but Asami was selfish; in saving thousands, she’d maybe risked the most important life of them all.    
  
The Avatar would be reborn, but Korra wouldn’t. Korra would be gone.    
  
She steeled herself, trying to be strong for not only everyone else around her, but for Korra’s motionless body pressed against her own. She would not cry. She could cry when Korra was okay. Korra had to be okay. How else was Asami meant to push forward if Korra wasn’t there with her? Again, it was selfish to be so dependent on Korra for her own happiness, but what else did she have in life that wasn’t corrupt and out to get her? She only had her children, her wife, her 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮. Without them she was just a businesswoman; Asami Sato, the CEO of Future Industries.    
  
“‘Sami?”    
  
She opened her eyes to look down at two dull, tired eyes. “Hey baby,” She cooed, sniffling. “You feeling better?”    
  
“I just wanted…. I just wanted to tell you… That... I love you.... Just… Just In case I don’t wake up again.”    
  
Asami inhaled slowly, then on her exhale broke. She sobbed, shaking her head as her body started to quiver. “We’ve still got that vacation planned next month with the kids.” She tried hard to stop the crying but it was impossible when Korra looked like a shell of her usual self. “You really going to make me go alone?”   
  
“Mm, I kinda forgot about that.” Korra sent her best signature lopsided smile as her eye’s started to close again.    
  
She let out a wet laugh. “I think I can let it slide just this once,” She felt her throat tighten when she thought about this potentially being their last interaction. “I love you. I love you with my whole heart. You know that right?”    
  
Korra gave a weak nod, still smiling. There was a moment of silence as Asami struggled to find something to say, something to keep Korra conscious, but couldn’t bring herself to ruin the peace stretched across Korra’s face as she slipped away. Her fingers went to Korra’s neck, checking for a pulse, and swallowed the lump in her throat when it was still there. It was weak, but it was there.    
  
3 days passed. Asami separated herself from the healing hut when Tenzin finally arrived with her children. Hiroshi jumped off of Oogi and dashed over to jump into her arms. She smiled, scooping him up, then scattered a series of kisses all over his face.    
  
“Mom!”   
  
“Are you too big for kisses now?”    
  
“Is Momma okay?”    
  
Asami sighed, tucking her face into his neck as she thought about her words. Hiroshi was only 6, but there was no use beating around the bush when he would eventually find out one way or another.    
  
“She’s not doing too good,” She said sadly, carefully setting him down. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ll just have to love her extra hard, right?”    
  
His face twisted up at those words before he sighed and nodded his head. “Can I go see her?”    
  
“Soon. Kya is in there with Jinora. I don’t want to distract them just yet. Have you been treating your sister okay?”    
  
Pema came over then, a sad smile on her face. “He’s been a very good big brother.” She carefully shifted the bundle of blankets over and Asami beamed down at her youngest. Yasuko was only 1, but almost the splitting image of Korra. When it came to naming, Korra had insisted they go with both of Asami’s parents, to honour them and let that be their legacy in life. At first it was weird, Asami hated the idea of naming her own blood and skin after the two people that caused the most pain, but eventually it stuck, and Asami was grateful for Korra’s stubbornness. 

“Has she been alright?”   
  
“She’s been an angel. Why did you get the peaceful kids?”   
  
“I ask myself that question everyday.” She pressed a kiss to her sleeping daughters head and cradled her against her chest.    
  
“How is she?”    
  
“She hasn’t woken up in 3 days. Jinora and Kya insisted they put her in some sort of spiritual healing coma. I don’t really know what’s going on.” she admitted, watching as  Hiroshi started to bend some snow into a snowman. “Has he been… you know, is he dealing with this okay? Did you tell him what was going on?”

“I was honest with him. I told him Korra got herself in trouble and was in bad shape.”   
  
Asami sighed, reaching over to give Pema’s shoulder a squeeze. “Thank you for looking after them. Everything happened so fast.”    
  
Pema sent her a smile. “It’s nice having a baby to fuss over again.”   
  


  
***   
  
  


Korra stirred, that same warmth still surrounding her. She felt… different. She’d never slept so intensely before. Having a new baby and recovering from birth wasn’t exactly the most pleasant experience on the body, she was peeing all the time during the night, being woken up by a screaming child, and she still had work to do on her better days. She’d almost forgotten what it was like to really rest and feel recharged afterwards.    
  
She heard voices speaking around her but couldn’t make out any of the different words being said. It took a long while to blink the blur out of her vision, and when she did, she was rewarded with the site of not only Asami, but Hiroshi and Yasuko.    
  
“Momma!”    
  
She found the strength to move her arms, only to be stopped by two gentle hands on her shoulder. “How do you feel?” Kya asked.    
  
“Like I just had the best sleep of my entire life.” She said honestly, glancing around to take in her surroundings. She wasn’t in water this time, instead she was on a soft bed with Kya and Jinora beside her. She looked down at her body and crinkled her nose at the wet bandages wrapped around her upper body. “You’ve been busy.” She said weakly.

  
“You’ve been asleep for 2 weeks.” Asami said, coming closer to kneel beside the bed. She guided Hiroshi over. “Spiritual coma as Jinora likes to put it.”    
  
Korra raised an eyebrow, glancing over at the airbender. “How does that work?”    
  
“Water wasn’t doing it. You kept coming in and out of consciousness. I had to put you into a spiritual coma so your body could heal without any defence mechanisms triggering.”    
  
That made sense, sort of. Korra carefully sat up with the help of Kya and reached over to take Hiroshi’s hand. “How’s my big man?”    
  
“Scared,” He said bluntly, coming closer until he could hug into her side. She let him, curling her arm around his shoulders. “I didn’t think you’d wake up.” Korra’s heart hurt. 2 weeks she’d been asleep and for 2 weeks her family must have been in a state of panic. She didn’t know what to say, or how to sooth the anxiety he must have felt, so she held him tighter and pressed a kiss to the top of his head.    
  
Kya and Jinora extracted themselves from the room to give the family some privacy, which Korra used to bring Asami into the embrace. Yasuko let out a babble of noises when she was settled between all 3 of them, which Korra appreciated to no end.    
  
“Good thing we have life insurance.” Korra eventually got out, which earnt a laugh from Asami.    
  
“I have life insurance. You’re the one that couldn’t get any because of your job title.”    
  
“Oh, well, that’s inconvenient then. Good thing I didn’t die.”    
  
Hiroshi gave her side a weak punch. “Not funny,” He said seriously. Asami sent her a pointed look, one that she didn’t shy away from.    
  
“No? You’d get my side of the bed all the time.”    
  
“Korra.” Asami said sternly.    
  
“What?” She winced when she got another punch to the side and weakly ruffled Hiroshi’s hair. “Okay, got it. No more jokes.” She reached over to offer Yasuko her finger and gave her tiny hand a little shake when she gripped onto it. She looked at Asami and felt her entire chest clench with unbound happiness.    
  
Asami quickly wiped her tears on her sleeve. “Hiroshi? Can you take your sister to Pema?”    
  
“But momma just woke up!”    
  
“I know, I just want to talk to her alone for a couple of minutes. Is that okay?”    
  
“I hope you two don’t do anything gross.”    
  
He sent Asami and Korra a glare as he held Yasuko to his shoulder.    
  
“Please don’t drop her--” Asami tried.    
  
“Ugh, I’m not going too!” He stormed out with a huff.    
  
Asami shook her head at his attitude and let out a deep exhale. Korra watched as she slowly turned back to face her, then sent her a faint, sad smile.    
  
“You know he’s sensitive,” Asami said gently. “He tries to act all tough because he knows you’re the avatar, but he secretly feels everything.”    
  
Korra carefully shifted, attempting to swing her legs over the edge of the bed, but could barely move her body without feeling like she’d been hit with lightning. Asami was quick to place a hand on her knee to stop her. With a sigh, Korra patted the spot beside her. Asami hesitated, then sat down and slid an arm around the back of Korra’s neck. Korra was more than happy to lean in and press her face into Asami’s chest.    
  
“I didn’t mean to scare you guys,” She said quietly. “I didn’t think the bomb would go off so soon.”    
  
That was clearly a soft spot. Asami tensed. No words came out, but Korra could tell that this was going to be a touchy subject for some time. She tilted her head up, resting her chin on Asami’s breast, and sent her a sympathetic look.    
  
“I was at work when I heard the bomb go off. I ditched everything knowing you’d be at the heart of the scene. There was so much blood, Korra. I thought you’d died then and there.”    
  
Korra swallowed hard. This was the closest to death she’d ever come. “I’m sorry I put you through that.” She gently, withdrawing to cover her face with her hands. She hated crying. She hated feeling weak and small. She felt like she was 18 again, right back to that dark, voidless state of distress. Asami scooted in closer, wrapping both arms around Korra’s body.    
  
“Don’t beat yourself up, we knew this would happen one day--”    
  
“No. I made you a promise that I would 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 put you through something like this again, and I did. The worst part? I can’t even promise it won’t happen again. People will hate me if I put my avatar life on hold to be with you and my children. There was already talk about me becoming sloppy before all of this happened because I couldn’t fight while I was pregnant.” She drew in deep breath and trembled on the exhale. “How did everyone else before me do this?”    
  
“We’re in a weird transition phase in society, the need for an avatar like Aang, or Roku, even Kyoshi, it’s over. People are always going to find a way to make you feel like you’re not doing enough because their needs are different.” Asami whispered, holding Korra as tightly as she could. Korra finally let out a sob, deflating entirely. “For what it’s worth, I think it was easier for Aang because he didn’t have to carry any children. People would have thought the same about him had he been the one to put his life on hold for 9 months.”    
  
Korra didn’t reply, she just cried. She cried until her eyes felt swollen. Her brief introduction to death hadn’t been all that terrifying, but the aftermath of what would have happened if she had died shook her to the very bone. When she finally felt like she could talk without sobbing, she pressed a kiss to Asami’s shoulder and sniffled.    
  
“I’m glad that I got to experience childbirth so you didn’t have to do all the work for a second time, but it’s hard. Really hard. I try and I try and even when I’m on my deathbed it feels like it’s not enough.” 

Asami ran a hand through Korra’s hair. “I know. You grew up learning how to tackle things physically, no one taught you how to be a political leader 𝘰𝘳 how to raise a family.” She paused. “We’ll get through this, like we always do.”    
  
Korra sniffled again and nodded her head. “Think I’ll be able to milk this for all it’s worth and spend some time with my family for a couple months?”    
  
Asami let out a wet laugh, tipping Korra’s head up by her chin. “We can try?”    
  
Korra took the cue and leaned up to press a soft, long kiss to Asami’s mouth. They still had to talk about this, really talk about this, but Korra was content with reassuring her wife and children that she was on the mend.    
  
Avatar Korra was not ready to leave this world, she still had so much she needed to do, so much work to be done, and most of all; a family she needed to support and nurture.    
  


***

Korra had almost forgotten what it was like to have nightmares so vivid and intense that the first one that came made her go into the avatar state. Asami was on her like a moth to a flame, hands on her cheeks as she whispered smoothing things into her ear, but it still took longer than it should have for her to snap out of her trance and come back to the real world.    
  
The second time she’d woken up in cold sweat, heart racing and body tense. They didn’t ease, and Asami was still there for every single one. Korra felt guilty. They’d been married for years, they’d gone through childbirth together, twice, and still it was hard to accept Asami’s help through things entirely brought on by her own reckless actions. It was creating a rift. Not a very big one, but large enough that Korra didn’t feel the comfortable silence between them at dinners, or even at nighttime.    
  
It was hard.    
  
“You know…” Asami whispered into the darkness of their room. “I wish you’d talk to me. You don’t have to burden yourself with all of this. We’re a team, remember?”    
  
Korra released a long sigh, tears forming without permission. “I’m turning into someone I despise.” She whispered back, angrily wiping her tears away. She was tired of crying, of feeling incompetent, of feeling useless and annoying.    
  
“You’re still the love of my life,” Asami said, louder. “Still the person I want to wake up to every morning.”    
  
That did it. Korra broke into a ball of sobs. Asami curled up behind her, pressing kisses to her shoulder and rubbing circles over her waist and hip. There was so much pent up anger, and frustration at herself, that it was impossible not to feel like she was slipping into a hole of fire burning at a million degrees. Should she have died? Was her presence even needed? Maybe the new Avatar would be trained to better handle the new coming of age.    
  
No, that was a selfish, horrible thought. She focused her energy on the thought of changing people’s minds about her, of proving them wrong. She thought about the image her children would have of her if she indulged in the idea of ending it all before she turned to curl into Asami’s arms. There was so much self hatred, and the intensity of which she felt things would always be her downfall.    
  
“I’m angry at myself.” She mumbled, the last of the tears soaking Asami’s nightgown.    
  
“I’m angry at you for trying to do this on your own.” Asami said back, squeezing her body tight. It was tight enough to make her ribs ache, but not hard enough to truly hurt her. “I’m angry that you push me away when I try to help, and I’m angry at you for letting this consume you. I know you feel guilty, and I know you feel like this is punishment, but haven’t we worked through that? Haven’t 𝘸𝘦 grown from those toxic traits?”    
  
Korra let out a noise of agreement, trying to find her voice.    
  
“We worked so hard when we first got together to try and grow as people, why are you risking all the progress we’ve made in the past 13 years? Why do you insist on reverting when you know you’re better than this?” Asami continued. “We have responsibilities as a family, as a couple, and I know you’re healing, and I know you’re doing your best, but you can’t let this go on without talking to someone.” A short pause. “Will you let me get your old therapist on the phone tomorrow?”    
  
Korra swallowed her pride. “I think that would be a good idea.” She managed to get the words out without crying, but soon after more tears started blurring her vision. “I’m sorry I let it go this far--”   
  
“I love you, I love you so much that sometimes it still scares me, but you’ve got to stop doing this to yourself.”   
  
Korra felt the weight of the world pressing against her chest, the pressure to be this picture of perfection, the pressure to be the next Aang, even 33 years after his death and Korra still feels that ball of tension in her gut 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 she’ll never be what everyone wants her to be.    
  


  
***

“Hey, momma?”    
  
“Mm?”   
  
“I wanna show you something.”   
  
“Is this a prank or are you being genuine?”    
  
“As if I’d tell you!”   
  
Korra smiled, letting Hiroshi drag her away from the hotel room and down the several flights of stairs. Their vacation was going well, Korra even found herself enjoying time away from Republic City. She stopped when instructed and covered her eyes, then grinned to herself when Hiroshi tugged on her shirt and guided her through a series of different turns.    
  
“Okay, open.”    
  
She dropped her hands and blinked back against the brightness of the sun, then slowly parted her lips in shock.    
  
“Is that what I think it is?”    
  
“I’m doing the water tornado!”    
  
Korra let out a laugh, mostly out of habit. Hiroshi was at least 5 foot above the pool line in a swirl of glowing water. Horishi wasn’t shy about this bending abilities, but he’d never really taken any interest in training, or so she thought.    
  
“How’d you learn to do that?”    
  
“Mom helped me at first.”    
  
“Asami helped you bend?”    
  
“She’s a very good teacher.”   
  
“How’d you learn to spirit bend?”    
  
“Jinora. When I was waiting for you to wake up Jinora told me about spirit bending so I ran off to try and do it myself for a week. Jinoria helped a lot, though.”    
  
Korra blinked, truly awestruck. “You learnt how to spirit bend all on your own?”    
  
“Sorta. I thought I would be able to help you if I learned it.”    
  
Again, awestruck. Korra stopped standing there like a stunned turtle duck and dove into the pool, she surfaced in a mass of moving water, much to Hiroshi’s approval. He ended up being so amused by the idea of Korra being 12 feet in the air that he forgot to keep bending and his swirl of water collapsed. Korra let herself fall, mostly so he didn’t feel embarrassed, and darted over to him to make sure he hadn’t inhaled any water on the way down.    
  
“You’re really good at that,” He said, climbing onto her shoulders. She let him, attempting to seem unphased by the dull ache it caused, and grinned.    
  
“I can float in the air if I try hard enough, but only if I go into the avatar state.”    
  
“The air nomads used to be able to fly, right? They’d detach from all earthly bonds and fly without bending?”   
  
Korra shifted them into shallower water and nodded. “That’s correct. Did you know that Avatar Kysohi struggled to bend tiny pebbles but could move mountains?”    
  
“No! That’s so cool! Can you do that?”    
  
“I’ve never tried. Maybe we should test that theory out one day on a hiking trip?”    
  
He let out a little excited yelp. He shifted, foot applying pressure to one of the tender spots on her chest. When she winced, he stilled. “Are you okay?” He asked, carefully dismounting.    
  
“Yeah, your foot just knocked a sore spot.”    
  
“Should I kiss is better?”    
  
Korra smiled, splashing him. Despite the fact he was young, he often tried to act twice his age to make up for his lack of size. He was already tall for his age thanks to Asami’s genetics, but he was still a kid. “What happened to not wanting kisses anymore?”    
  
“I don’t want them, but I can donate a few to the cripple.”    
  
Korra laughed loud, dashing over to grab him and dunk him beneath the water. He managed to evade her rath and jump onto her back, but he softened his grip and didn’t try to fight back. “Seriously though, are you okay?”    
  
Korra let out a small hum. “I’m getting better. I can get out of these chest wraps soon. It’ll be nice to shower on my own again.”    
  
“Doesn’t mom help you shower?”    
  
“Sometimes. I try to do things on my own so that she can look after you guys.”    
  
“Family look out for each other, though. I could help you take a shower after this if you wanted? Mom can look after my sister and I can look after you?”    
  
Korra hesitated, then eventually nodded her head. “Why don’t we have a bath instead? You can help wash my hair and I’ll scrub under my arms and between my toes?”    
  
  


***

  
  
“Did I get any in your eyes?”    
  
“No, well, a little--”   
  
“𝙎𝙝𝙞𝙩--”   
  
Asami walked into the bathroom with a frown. “No cussing-- Wait… What are you two doing?”    
  
“I’m helping momma wash her hair so she doesn’t have to do it alone.”    
  
Asami’s heart swooned at that. Korra was in the bath with a mountain of bubbles around her. “How’s that going?”    
  
“I got shampoo in her eyes, but other than that we’re okay. You can wash between her toes if you want. Yasuko can get in with momma, too.”    
  
“Yeah? What does Korra have to say about that?”    
  
“You guys don’t have to fuss over me--”    
  
“Momma, we talked about this.”    
  
“Okay! Alright, do as you please. Does Yasuko need a bath? Or is she okay sleeping?”    
  
“She’s in her walker playing with her toys. She had a pretty intense meal this morning, she could probably do with a scrub.”    
  
Asami left to go and grab their youngest and came back with a naked Yasuko babbling her little heart away. Asami always found it amusing how talkative she could be despite refusing to say any real words. Korra shifted in the bath, coming closer to the edge with her arms held out, then carefully introduced Yasuko to the water one foot at a time.    
  
“Hiroshi?” Asami said, pursing her lips.    
  
“Yea?”   
  
“Wanna get in too?”    
  
“Are we ganging up on momma?”    
  
“I think we have a pretty solid team.”    
  
Korra looked between them, scoffing. “Yasuko is not to be messed with.”    
  
Asami smirked, kicking off her shoes. “You’re in for it.”    
  
Thankfully the bath was huge and they were all able to fit in with enough leg room. Hiroshi sat between Asami’s legs and Yasuko sat happily on Korra’s stomach. They spent probably what was considered too long, but Korra was able to heat the water up whenever it got cold and Asami appreciated Korra submitting and letting them scrub her down. It wasn’t entirely hard either with 4 hands and a baby that just wanted to splash around.    
  
When they got out, Asami wrapped a gown around her body before wrapping a towel around Hiroshi and sending him into the main room. Yasuko was next, though Korra was quick to take her back once Asami had finished patting her down and helping her into a gown of her own.    
  
“You think she’ll be a nonbender?” Korra asked as she attempted to get Yasuko’s foot into her pants.   


“She’s got your eyes, it wouldn’t surprise me if she was another waterbender.”    


“Really?” Korra managed to get Yasuko’s pants on, and then a shirt. “I dunno, Hiroshi presented really early.” Asami’s heart fluttered when Korra pressed two kisses to the pads of Yasuko’s feet. She helped Hiroshi get into his socks, then poked his side.    
  
“Hiroshi was deadset on causing chaos at 6 months old.” When he giggled and ran away to go hide behind Korra, she let him and simply sat on the bed.    
  
“What if we have an earthbender on the horizon?”    
  
“What if she can move mountains like Avatar Kyoshi?!”    
  
Asami snorted, flopping back to look up at the ceiling. Despite all of Korra’s flaws, she was a very good parent. “Spirits help us if she can move mountains, our home will be split in two.”    
  
“What if she can bend fire?” Hiroshi asked excitedly. “Don’t you have great great great great great grandparents from fire nation mommy?”    
  
Asami perked her eyebrows and sat up again, narrowing her eyes at Korra. “Who told you that?”    
  
“Momma.” Korra sent her a lopsided smile as she brushed Yasuko’s hair.   
  
“I do, yes.” She got up and moved to her suitcase. “It could be a possibility. I don’t know how bending gets passed on through the generations, but I know on my side of the family we haven’t had any fire benders in… I don’t know, 4? 5? Generations?”   
  
“It’s not genetic,” Korra said as she cradled Yasuko against her shoulder, gently rocking her. “Not entirely, anyway. It’s like… I don’t know, it’s hard to explain. She could be. Wouldn’t that be cool?” Korra messed up Hiroshi’s hair. “Avatar Roku was a giant.”   
  
“Like mom?”    
  
“No, bigger. Avatar Kyoshi and Avatar Roku were almost the same height. Something like… I think nearly 7 foot tall?” She pointed up to the ceiling. “The ceilings are around 8 foot tall, so they’d be a little shorter than that.”    


“Wow! No way!” A pause. “You’re really short for an avatar, momma.”    
  
Asami laughed, grabbing some night clothes to change into. She went into the bathroom to change and do her hair, as well as wash off the remains of her make up, then resurfaced to find Korra putting Yasuko to bed. Hiroshi hovered, whispering something to her, then groaned and hugged her side.    
  
“Mom?”    
  
“Yeah?”    
  
“Korra said that I have to go to bed.”    
  
“.... Why are you telling me this?”    
  
“Because I don’t want to go.”    
  
Asami snorted. “What am I meant to do about that?”    
  
“You’re meant to be the cool mom!”    
  
Asami let out a gentle hum of amusement and held out her hand. He took it with a grumble and followed her into his room. She spent a little longer than necessary reading him a story until he was asleep, then ventured into her own room. Korra was attempting to remove her bindings with little winces and hisses. “I shouldn’t have gotten them wet today.”   
  
“Here,” She crawled onto the bed and came up behind Korra to carefully loosen the bandages. They came loose, falling in a pile around her waist. Korra let out a groan, clearly pleased.    
  
“Just gotta apply that ointment that Kya gave me.” A pause. “You want to help?”    
  
“How are they looking?” She peered over Korra’s shoulder, frowned, and got off the bed to get a better look. Most of the damage done was to the centre of her chest, arms, and stomach, but all the tiny wounds had scared nicely.    
  
“My boobs are going to look really snarly when they scar over.” Korra said proudly.    
  
Asami let out a weak laugh. “When the bomb went off did you hold your arms up to cover your face?”    
  
Korra nodded slowly.    
  
“You haven’t really talked about the explosion much.”    
  
“I don’t remember a lot. I heard screams, rushed over, then everything went in slow motion. Before I knew it I was in a healing coma.”    
  
Asami grabbed the jar of ointment and began to carefully spread it over the gashes covering Korra’s sternum. “How does that feel?”    
  
“Cold.”    
  
Asami went as fast as she could, then pulled out a roll of fresh bandage. Korra whined as she began rolling it around her chest, then eventually gave in. Asami let her wrap her arms, content with giving her something to do, then crawled back into the bed after she’d disposed of the old used bandages.    
  
“You seem happier.” Korra commented as she crawled up beside her. Instead of curling onto Asami’s chest like she had been the past couple of weeks, she lifted her arm and offered her own. Asami glanced at her to make sure it was okay, then carefully curled into Korra’s armpit. It was the safer option. She didn’t want to risk Korra not getting some rest because she was in pain.    
  
“I am.” She admitted eventually. “I’m still upset with you for reverting back to old habits, but I’m not letting that ruin how good this is for everyone. Hiroshi told me he showed you his water tornado today?”    
  
“Yes. He said you helped him with it?”    
  
“Initially. I’ve seen you do it a million times.”    
  
“How did you help him with the bending side of things?”    
  
“I guided him through some meditation so he felt connected to his inner self. He was able to do most of it on his own, I just made sure I was there to dive in if he got it wrong.”    
  
“I love you.”    
  
Asami frowned at the sudden confession, pulling her head back a little to look up at Korra. “What for?”    
  
“Being there for him when I couldn’t.”    
  
Asami softened. She’d done what she could whilst Korra was in her healing coma, but she didn’t think she’d been all that great. She just did what she usually did, albeit a little sadder. 

“What would you do if I told you I was in the mood?”    
  
Korra blinked down at her. “You’re in the mood? What mood?”   
  
“Don’t play coy with me.”    
  
“I don’t know, I guess I’d just do what you told me to do?”    
  
“That’s lame.”    
  
“Asaaaaamiiiii--”   
  
“Okay, what if I went down on you right now?”    
  
“I would not complain.”    
  
“You’re really bad at taking hints, huh?”    
  
“Am I meant to be talking dirty?”    


“Yes.”    
  
Korra blushed. “I haven’t thought about sex in like... 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴.”    
  
“Are you thinking about it now?”    
  
“Maybe.”    
  
“So if I rode you… spontaneously…. You’d be into that?”    
  
“‘Sami?”    
  
“Yeah?”   
  
“We’re married. Of course I’d be into that. I’m into you.”    


“Wanna know what would make that statement better?”    
  
“What?    
  
“Actually being inside of me.”    
  
Korra let out a laugh, shaking her head. “The kids are in the next room. Are you sure this is a good idea?”    
  
“When has that ever stopped you?”    
  
“Fine. But you have to go easy on me. As Hiroshi put it lightly today, I’m crippled.”    


Sex was not only a good way to reconnect and feel whole, but it was even ground, and entirely wonderful when Korra was physically incapable of complaining about her positioning. Vacation, sex, and cuddles. All three things were enough to heal even the biggest of wounds. Asami hoped it was the start of their own forgiveness journey.    
  


  
  



End file.
